1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for implementing a three-dimensional (3D) user interface and, more particularly, to a system and method for implementing a 3D user interface, which enables a user to perform an operation in a 3D virtual space.
2. Description of the Related Art
With development of graphic related technology, a computer system provides a user not only with a two-dimensional (2D) environment but also with a 3D virtual environment.
As a simple example, a widely used program such as computer-aided design (CAD) provides a user with a 3D environment so as to manufacture a 3D drawing in addition to a 2D drawing.
At this time, a user needs to perform several operations such as copy/move/delete with respect to a 3D graphic provided in a 3D environment and thus a user interface suitable for performing several operations needs to be provided.
FIG. 1 shows a 3D graphic selection method of the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a 3D environment system of the related art outputs a 3D virtual space 2 through a 2D screen 1. 3D graphics 3 are displayed in the 3D space 2. In FIG. 1, a touch screen is used as a user interface for selecting the 3D graphics 3.
As a method for selecting 3D graphics, a method of enabling a user to touch the screen 1 using both hands 4 and to then separate both hands is used. At this time, a 2D rectangular selection region 5 having points pointed by both hands 4 is formed and the 3D graphics 3 are selected if the 3D graphics 3 are completely located in the selection region 5.
However, the above selection method is based on a gesture for selecting the 2D graphics and is not suitable as a method for selecting 3D graphics having a volume so that the usability of the system is lowered.
In order to select the 3D graphics 3 by applying a depth in a Z-axis direction based on the above method, a process of forming the 2D rectangular selection region 5 having an area in a xy plane and then moving the selection region 5 in the z-axis direction is necessary. According to such a method, it is difficult for an unskilled user to select 3D graphics and to perform an operation.